Bulk container



G. J. OEHLER BULK CONTAINER Oct. 29, 1968 Filed Aug. 15, 1966 3Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. gerord J. Oehler ATTORNEYS Oct. 29, 1968 G. J.OEHLER BULK CONTAINER s Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15. 1966 f INVENTOR,Gerard J. 'Oehler' V B p 1 III/II ATIQBINEYS G. J. OEHLER BULK CONTAINEROct. 29, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15. 1966 INVENTOR. Gerard J.OehIer' ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,407,971 BULK CONTAINER GerardJ. Oehler, Williamsville, N.Y., assignor t0 Oehlers Welding andFabrication Corp., Buffalo, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Aug.15, 1966, Ser. No. 572,455 6 Claims. (Cl. 222185) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A bulk container for powdered or liquid material, butespecially adapted for shipping titanium dioxide so that it will notagglomerate in transit, and having the features of bottom discharge andvertical stacking of similar containers one upon another.

This invention relates to a container for shipping or storing bulkmaterial.

Bulk containers broadly are old but those of the prior art weredeficient in one or more respects which are overcome by the presentinvention.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a bulk containerwhich will have a maximum cubic capacity for the bulk material but yetwhich is constructed so that removal of such material, particularly ifpowdered or pulverulent, will be assured.

The problem of removal of powdered or pulverulent material isparticularly acute when the shipment of titanium dioxide is considered.This material when in transit tends to agglomerate in marble-sized ballswhich are unacceptable commercially, necessitating repulverizing thematerial if to be used.

Accordingly, another important object of the present invention is toprovide a container for shipping titanium dioxide in bulk so that itwill not agglomerate in transit. As well, the container of thepresentinvention is suitable for confining other dry powdered orpulverulent bulk material. Further, the bulk container of the presentinvention is adapted to confine liquid materials.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a bulkcontainer for dry materials which has an improved selectively operableoutlet means for removing the bulk material, such means being simple inconstruction and easy to operate.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bulkcontainer having a construction such that similar containers can bereadily stacked one upon another and in the process of stacking them theupper container will be automatically centered on the lower container.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the ensuing description of embodiments thereof illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a bulk container embodying one form of thepresent invention and showing portions of such container broken away toreveal hidden structure, this container being especially adapted toconfine dry powdered titanium dioxide. 1

FIG. 2 is a bottom elevational view of the container shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical central transverse sectional view thereof taken online 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a similar vertical transverse sectional view thereof but takenalong a perpendicular plane, being taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a horizontal sectional view thereof, on an enlarged scale,taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing details of the slide gateassembly at the bottom of the 'ice container, certain portions of theassembly illustrated in FIG. 5 being broken away to reveal hiddenstructure.

FIG. 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the slide gateassembly taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view thereof taken on line 77of FIG. 5, the slide gate being illustrated in this figure in a clampedclosed condition.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the left portion of thestructure shown in FIG. 7 and illustrating more clearly the clampedclosed condition of the slide gate.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the slide gate in acondition released for sliding movement to open it.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on line 10-10 ofFIG. 4 and showing the details of mounting an inflatable bag at onecorner of the container.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another form of bulk container constructedin accordance with the principles of the present invention, thecontainer here illustrated being adapted for the confinement of liquidbulk material.

FIG. 12 is a bottom elevational view of the container shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is an end elevational view of the container shown in FIG. 11,this view being taken from the bottom of FIG. 11, with portions beingbroken away to reveal hidden structure.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the container shown in FIG. 11,this view being taken from the left of FIG. 11, and also having portionsbroken away.

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof taken on line15-15 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of the foot element of animaginary upper container arranged above a lug element on an imaginarylower container of similar construction to depict the cooperationbetween such elements when the containers are stacked.

FIGS. 1-10 The bulk container shown in FIGS. 1-10 is intended primarilyfor the containment of powdered and pulverulent materials, particularlytitanium dioxide. The container is shown as including an upper elongatedrectangular section represented generally by the numeral 20 and alikewise elongated lower hopper section represented generally by thenumeral 21 in order to provide an unstable environment tending toprevent undesirable arching of the pulverulent material above the bottomof the container. Upper section 20 comprises longer opposite or opposingside plates or walls 22, 23 and shorter opposite or opposing and or sideplates or walls 24, 25, each of these plates being rectangular inoutline and arranged in a vertical plane and adjacent plates areconnected together along their vertical meeting edges in any suitablemanner as by being welded. Upper section 20 is also shown as including atop wall 26 which covers the entire rectangular horizontal crosssectional areas of the container as viewed in plan and this top wall isconnected along its outer edges to the upper edges of the side and endwalls 22-25 in any suitable manner as by being welded thereto.

A filling opening 28 of circular shape in plan is shown as arrangedcentrally in top wall 26. This opening is closed by a removable cover 29of any suitable construction.

An important feature of the present invention is the construction of thelower hopper section 21. In general, this section 21 may be described ashaving an inverted outwardly curved pyramidal shape including fouroutwardly curved walls which, as compared to fiat walls, tend toeliminate arching of the powdered material as it is being withdrawn fromthe discharge opening at the bottom of the container. More specifically,hopper section 21 includes an outwardly curved longer side wall 30 whichalong its upper edge is coterminous with and an extension of the loweredge of corresponding upper side wall 22; a similar but oppositelyarranged or opposing outwardly curved longer side wall 31 is similarlyassociated with respect to upper side wall 23; an outwardly curvedshorter end or side wall 32 has its upper edge coterminous with andforming an extension of the lower edge of the corresponding upper endwall 24; and a similar but oppositely arranged or opposing outwardlycurved shorter end or side wall 33 is similarly associated with theopposite upper side wall 25. The curved walls 30-33 are suitably joinedtogether along their meeting edges as by being welded together. Ifcurved walls 30-33 are formed from plates separate from upperside walls22-25, they are suitably joined along their corresponding meeting edgesas by being welded together.

Another important feature of the present invention is that each of thecurved walls 30-33 is partially cylindrical as viewed from the edge andgenerated about a center having a radius of curvature such that thechordal distance between the opposite ends of the curved wall is at anangle a to the horizontal falling in the range from 55 to 65 degreeswhen the container is in an upright position as illustrated in FIGS. 3and 4. Such a chordal line is indicated at C in FIG. 3 and at C in FIG.4. This angle a is critical in that if it is greater too much volume ofthe container is sacrificed for the floor area occupied by thecontainer, and if the angle is smaller the powdered or pulverulentmaterial will not freely and completely discharge through an outletopening provided in the bottom of the hopper section.

The curved walls 30 and 31 are shown severally in FIG. 3 as generatedabout a center A with a radius B, center A being located above the loweredge of upper section and away from its corresponding curved wall 30 or31 more than half the distance between the opposing side walls 22 and 23of the upper section. Likewise, the other curved walls 32 and 33 areshown severally in FIG. 4 as generated about a center D with a radius E,center D being located above the lower edge of upper section 20 and awayfrom its corresponding curved wall 32 or 33 more than half the distancebetween the opposing side walls 24 and of the upper section.

More specifically, in the preferred embodiment shown, the radii ofcurvature of curved walls -33 are substantially equal; the centers D forradii E are located inside the container between shorter upper sidewalls 24, 25 and above the lower edge of upper section 20, and thecenters for radii A are located outside the container beyond longerupper side walls 22, 23 and above the lower edge of upper section 20,but slightly below centers D. This construction produces an angle a inFIG. 3 of about 59 and an angle a in FIG. 4 of about 56, resulting innot only optimum container volume for occupied floor area, but also freeand complete discharge of the powdered or pulverulent material throughthe outlet opening.

Before describing this outlet and the slide gate assembly associatedtherewith, the means for supporting the container in an uprightcondition will be first described.

At each corner a leg 34 is provided. 'Each such leg comprises twovertically arranged corner plates 35 and 36 which have their upper edgessuitably connected to the lower part of the upper container section asby being welded thereto. These corner plates are shown as meeting andbeing joined together along their intersecting vertical edges and ashaving downwardly tapering remote edges. Their lower ends have suitablyconnected thereto a foot member 38 which is in the form of an L-shapedangle, as best shown in FIG. 16, including a vertical flange 39 and ahorizontal flange 40. The lower surfaces of the four feet 38 arecoplanar and arranged below the selectively operable outlet meansrepresented generally by the numeral 41 at the bottom of hopper section21. The foot members 38 are connected to their respective legs in anysuitable manner as by welding the upstanding flanges 39 to the innersurfaces of the corner plates 35 and 36. The

4 lower flange or base of the edge of the feet 38 has a cutout indicatedat 42 leaving a crotch for a purpose later to be described.

In order to enable the container to be readily lifted and moved, thelegs 34 are shown as supporting inverted cross channels 43, 43 and 44,44, the pair of channels 43 extending between the pairs of oppositecorner plates 36 and passing over the other pair of channels 44 whichextend between the pairs of opposite corner plates 35. These cornerplates are suitably cut out with rectangularly shaped openings throughwhich the end portions of the channels 33 and 34 extend. Preferably theopen end portion of each U-shaped channel 43 is closed on its fourth andlower side by a plate 45. A similar plate 46 is similarly arranged withrespect to each of the channels 44. The rectangular open ends of thesechannel assemblies are adapted to receive the arms or tines of a forklift truck (not shown), whereby when received in either the pair ofchannels 43 or 44 the container can be lifted and transported to anotherlocation by the truck.

Another important feature of the present invention is the constructionof the slide gate assembly 41 which is best shown in FIGS. 5-9 and willnow be described. The lower edges of the curved walls 30-33 do not meetbut are spaced so as to provide a rectangular opening as viewed in planand as indicated at 48 in FIGS. 5 and 6, these lower edges beingrepresented in FIGS. 6 and 7 by the numerals 30, 31, 32' and 33,respectively. A throat structure depends from these lower edges and isprovided by the vertical flanges of two longitudinal upper angle members49 and 50 and of two transverse upper angle members 51 and 52. Theseflanges are designated 5.3-56 for the respective angles 49-52. The upperedges of these flanges are suitably connected to the lower edges of thecurved Walls as by being welded thereto as shown at 58 in FIGS. 8 and 9,for example. Extending laterally outwardly from the lower edges ofvertical flanges 53-55 are horizontal flanges 59-62, respectively. Thelower surfaces of horizontal flanges or plates 59-62 are coplanar.

Arranged below the upper angle members 49-52 are corresponding butinverted lower angle members 63-66. These lower angle members 63-66 havehorizontal flanges or plates 68-71, respectively, and also downturned orvertically extending flanges 72-75, respectively. These vertical flanges72-75 define a rectangular area slightly larger than that defined by theupstanding flanges 53-56.

Opposing longitudinal horizontal plates 59 and 68 on one side, and thesimilar opposing longitudinal horizontal plates 60 and 69, arevertically spaced apart to provide ways indicated at 76 and 78 severallyadapted to receive the marginal longitudinal edge portions of a slidegate plate 79. At one end this slide gate 79 has a handle 77 securedthereto for moving the gate longitudinally along the ways 76 and 78.

The floor of each way supports another plate, designated 80 in the caseof plate 68 and 81 in the case of plate 69, having at its inner endwhich is adjacent the longitudinal lower vertical flange 72 or 73 anupturned lip 82 to provide a rail. The two rails so provided are adaptedto support and permit the sliding therealong of slide gate 79.Interposed between plates 59 and 80 is a spacer bar 83 and on the otherside a similar spacer bar 84 is interposed between plates 60 and 81. Theassembly of plates and spacers are clamped together by a series oflongitudinally spaced nut and bolt assemblies indicated typically at 85which extend through registered holes provided in these members.

Slide gate 79 is vertically movable in its ways 76 and 78 between anupper position shown in FIG. 8 and a lower position illustrated in FIG.9. To lift the slide gate 79 from its lower to its upper position, aseries of jack screws 86 are provided at intervals along each of theways 76 and 78. As shown, the threaded shanks of these jack screws 86extend through threaded holes provided in the lower wall members of thecorresponding way.

Periinetral yieldable sealing means are provided about the interior ofthe throat of the slide gate assembly. As shown, such means include twolongitudinal strips 88 and 89 and two transverse strips 90 and 91. Thesemay be made of any suitable elastomeric material such as rubber.Arranged inwardly of these strips is a rectangular funnel-shaped member92 having an outwardly flaring upper rim portion 93 and a rectangularvertical side wall 94. Screws, such as the one designated 95 in FIGS. 8and 9, secure the 'funnel member 92 and the sealing strips 88-91 to theouter throat wall of the assembly. The lower edge of the continuousrectangularly-shaped,sealing member constituted by strips 88-91constantly engages the upper surface of slide gate 79 whether in itsupper position shown in FIG. 8 or its lower position shown in FIG. 9. Inthis connection, the lower edge of the funnel-shaped member 92 issubstantially coplanar with the lower surfaces of upper horizontalplates 5962.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4-6, it will be seen that the longitudinalmembers defining ways 76 and 78 extend beyond superposed cross anglemembers 51 and 65 so that when the gate is pulled to its fully openedposition it will be adequately supported.

When the slide gate 79 is closed and not intended to be opened, it isnormally lifted into clamping engagement with upper plates 59-62 byturning jack screws 86 as illustrated in FIG. 8. However, when it isdesired to open the slide gate, these jack screws 86 are backed off orlowered so as to lower the slide gate onto the rails formed by upturnedlips 82. The area of contact now between these rails and the slide gateis very limited and the gate can be readily slid back and forth alongthese rails by clasping handle 77. It is preferred to lower jack screws86 sufficiently so that their upper ends are completely out of contactwith slide gate 79, as depicted in FIG. 9.

Another important feature of the present invention which has particularpertinency when a pulverulent material such as titanium dioxide isconfined within the container, is the provision of pneumatic means forimmobilizing the pulverulent material within the container. It is mycontention that the reason why titanium dioxide tends to agglomerate orballup when shipped and subjected to the vibrations inevitable therewithis due to allowing the titanium dioxide to move within the container. Iprevent this by providing at each corner of the container essentiallywithin the upper section thereof a vertically elongated inflatable bagwhich is represented by the numeral 96. Each of these. bags 96 is madeof an elastic material such as rubber or the like and enclosed so as toconfine air under pressure.

As best shown in FIG. 10, the upper end of each bag 96 is provided withan externally threaded valve stem 98 extending through a hole 99provided in top wall 26 and secured in position by a nut 100 screwedonto the valve stem and bearing against the upper surface of top wall26. This valve stem 98 is adapted to house a conventional filling valveindicated at 101 of the type employed in the valve stems of vehicletires sold under such trademarks as Bridgeport, Dill or Schrader.

In using the bags 96, before filling the container through opening 28with a pulverulent material such as titanium dioxide these bags aredeflated or collapsed. The container is then filled with the bulkmaterial until all apparent air voids are eliminated, following whichcover 29 is mounted to close opening 28. Thereafter each of bags 96 isinflated by connecting its valve stem 98 to a source of compressed air.As the bags are inflated they enlarge in volume and exert a pressuregenerally horizontally inwardly upon the confined bulk material asrepresented by the arrows typically indicated at 102. The lower ends ofthese bags which may extend slightly into the lower hopper section 21exert an inwardly and downwardly directed pressure on bulk material asrepresented typically by arrows 103. While the bags 96 may be inflatedwith any suitable pressure, I have used a pressure of ten pounds persquare inch gauge.

I have been successful in shipping titanium dioxide in a containerhaving the construction shown in FIGS. 1-10 and at its destination havebeen able to open the slide gate assembly 41 and fully remove thetitanium dioxide still in a pulverulent condition and without havingbeen balled up, contrary to the experience of others when attempting toship this product in other bulk containers.

Referring to FIG. 4, as pulverulent material is withdrawn through theoutlet provided by opening slide gate 79, the portions of the bags 96above the level represented at L in FIG. 4 of pulverulent materialappear to bulge inwardly to overlap the bulk material, as indicated at104 in this figure. This inward bulging of the upper portion over thelower portion seems to exert an inward and downward force representedtypically by the arrows 105 upon the bulk material, urging the same tomove toward the slide gate assembly 41. Therefore the inflatable bags 96not only immobilize the pulverulent material in transit which in thecase of titanium dioxide is prevented from balling up, but alsofacilitate the removal of this material through the discharge opening inthe bottom of the hopper by exerting a downward force upon the materialthereby tending to extrude it through the outlet opening.

FIGS. 11-16 The form of container shown in FIGS. 11-16 is intendedprincipally for the containment of liquid bulb material. It has agenerally similar construction to that shown in FIGS. 1-10 and hencesimilar reference indicia have been applied to indicate like parts. Theexception is the omission of the slide gate assembly 41 and thesubstitution therefor of an outlet conduit or pipe extending laterallyoutwardly from one of the outwardly curved side walls of the lowerhopper section. This conduit or pipe 110 is shown as having aselectively operable valve 111 of any suitable construction. By keepingthis valve closed the liquid material can be confined within thecontainer and by opening this valve the desired amount thereof can bewithdrawn.

The form of bulk container illustrated in FIGS. ll-l6 is shown asprovided with an additional feature which might also be applied to thebulk container shown in FIGS. l10. This feature will now be described.On the top of the container adjacent each corner thereof is suitablysecured as by welding a base plate 112 from which an upstanding lug 113extends upwardly and inwardly, generally diagonally of the rectangularcontainer shape. This lug is suitably secured to base plate 112 as bybeing welded thereto. The laterally outermost edge 114 of each of thelugs 113 at its junction with base plate 112 is generally in lines withthe crook or inside corner of the crotch or cutout 42 of thecorresponding foot 38 of the container. This arrangement is provided sothat when one container as described is stacked on another container ofsimilar construction the four inwardly sloping lugs 113 will engage thecrotches 42 of the feet on the higher container and tend to center thelatter as it is lowered on the lower container so that ultimately thecrooks of these feet will be positioned adjacent the outer lower edges114 of these lugs and the lower surfaces of the foot members 38 willrest upon the upper surfaces of the base plates 112.

Each lug 113 is shown as provided adjacent its outer end with an openingor hole 115 adapted to receive a cable, hook or similar element (notshown) of a lifting crane, whereby the container having such lugs can belifted from above.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the embodiments illustrated anddescribed achieve the various objects stated. Inasmuch as other changesand modifications may occur to those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention, the same is intendedto be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bulk container, comprising an upper rectangular section, and alower hopper section in general having an ineverted outwardly curvedpyramidal shape and including an outwardly curved partially cylindricalwall on each of its four sides, said walls being joined together alongtheir meeting edges and to said upper section, the radius of curvatureof each of said walls being such that a chord extending between itsopposite ends inclines to the horizontal at an angle falling in therange of from 55 to 65 degrees when the container is in an uprightposition, and the center for said radius being located no lower than thelower edge of said upper section and also located away from its curvedwall more than half the distance between the opposing side walls of saidupper section to one of which side walls is joined such curved wall.

2. A bulk container according to claim 1 wherein said upper section isof elongated rectangular shape to provide two longer and two shorteropposing upper rectangular side walls, and said lower section islikewise elongated to provide two longer and two shorter partiallycylindrical lower side walls severally extending downwardly from saidlonger and shorter upper side walls respectively.

3. A bulk container according to claim 2 wherein the centers for saidradii of said shorter lower side walls are located inside the containerabove the lower edge of said upper section and between said two shorterupper side walls, and the centers for said radii of said longer lowerside walls are located outside the container above the lower edge ofsaid upper section and beyond said two longer upper side walls.

4. A bulk container according to claim 3 wherein the radii of curvatureof said lower side walls are substantially equal, the chord extendingbetween the opposite ends of each of said longer lower side wallsinclines to the horizontal at an angle slightly greater than that of thechord extending between the opposite ends of each of said shorter lowerside walls, and the centers for said radii of said longer lower sidewalls are located slightly below the centers for said radii of saidshorter lower side walls.

5. A bulk container, comprising an upper rectangular section, a lowerhopper section in general having an inverted outwardly curved pyramidalshape and including an outwardly curved partially cylindrical wall oneach of general having an inverted outwardly curved pyramidal.

shape and including an outwardly curved partially cylindrical wall oneach of its four sides, said walls being joined together along theirmeeting edges and to said upper section, and an elongated inflatable bagin each corner of said upper section and pendant from said top wall andis inflated from the exterior thereof, such bags when inflated beingadapted to pressurize the bulk material confined within said container,especially when filled.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,655,533 1/1928 Campagna 222- X1,740,384 12/ 1929 Wright 222-185 2,209,430 7/1940 Turhsin 222-181 X2,614,733 10/1952 Anderson 222-561 X 2,648,477 8/ 1953, Harrington222-238 X 2,920,796. l/l960 Field 222-185 2,948,437 8/1960 Nielsen222-185 X 3,066,831 12/1962 Thompson 222-185 3,185,516 5/1965 Johansson222-181 X 3,235,137 2/1966 Bonduris 222-386.5 X 3,255,927 6/1966 Rupertet al 222-143 2,457,841 1/ 1949 Smith et al 220-97 X 2,952,382 9/1960Rehrig 220-97 X 3,071,297 1/ 1963 Lee 222-462 3,115,281 12/1963 Somme222-185 X 3,318,473 5/1967 Jones et a1. 220-97 X FOREIGN PATENTS 3/ 1922Germany.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

